TownePlace Suites By Marriott Denver Downtown

We got a good rate and had a great stay, but the room was left with the door open after housekeeping even though we’d hung the DND sign. My daughter’s volleyball jersey was also left out in the hallway. We were very lucky it was still there.

The rooms are okay for what you pay, though they’re nothing special. The bigger problem was the nighttime security guard, who seemed to be on a power trip. The side door was broken, so I went the long way around and opened it to carry some things in. While I was getting awkward, heavy boxes out of my car, he came over and slammed the door shut as I struggled. I said I only needed to grab a couple more things, but he just glared, shook his head, and muttered under his breath. Maybe the little plastic badge had gone to his head. Just a sad, petty guy.

The staff were attentive and friendly, but the property was run down and not what I expected from a Marriott. There was a foul smell on the main floor between the lobby and elevators. The room door and bathroom looked like they might not even have been nice when they were new.

The bed was comfortable enough and the AC worked, and the location itself isn’t bad. But the hotel felt sad and worn out. The room was dated, several things around it were broken or damaged, the window screens were torn, and the ceiling looked like it had a badly repaired leak. The “free” breakfast was mostly heat-and-serve. There was no way to heat the oatmeal, and the milk in the fridge had gone bad. I told the front desk, but they did nothing, and the same spoiled milk was there the next day. The neighborhood seemed okay at first, though there are a lot of transients around. If you’re a Marriott aficionado, I’d pick another hotel.